Getting a vaccine: can someone talk me through what to expect (severe anxiety)

[polelynn]

Hello

I find myself in the age bracket to book my vaccine however I have severe anxiety and barely leave home (due to an irrational fear of contracting Covid heightened by pre-existing trauma). I am awaiting therapy but started on medication a few weeks ago.

I have been working up to going for walks in wide open spaces where I can put plenty of distance between myself and others but I have no idea how I'm actually going to get myself through those doors to have my jab and be in close proximity to others. The very idea makes me feel incredibly nervous. This is going to be a big step for me and obviously it's not been helped by all the coverage surrounding the vaccine and blood clots.

Can someone talk me through the process and what to expect please?

Okay, so my plan is I'm going to see if there's a video, great idea. I suspect a couple of local friends may have been quick off the mark with booking into the same venue today so will ask them to run me through the procedure too after their visit. Yes GP might be a quieter option or I will try to book in in a couple of weeks so I can get used to the idea and work up to being closer to others outside first. Thank you all again.

I would book the earliest slot they have. I think it's the sort of thing that it's better getting it done in the morning before you have chance to chicken out, if you have an afternoon appointment you'll be worrying about it all day.
Our local news seems to think that this age group will want later afternoon and evening time slots for after they've finished work so they're encouraging people to book other times where possible.

I just had my first one on Sunday.

I actually had to cancel my original appointment due to unrelated illness so rebooked online using my reference number from my letter and was very surprised to see that it was mostly weekend appointments that were available - maybe they leave those free or something.

So I could select an appointment for when I hoped it might be quiet and went for 1340 hrs on Sunday. I also had various options for where I could get it done but went with the original venue as it was the closest and had parking. I don't know if it's the same throughout the UK of course, it may vary.

I got a lift there and put my mask on and just walked in. This place has automatic doors so no need to touch anything and there were arrows on the floor showing where to go and it was clearly marked and roped off in a one way system. Loads of hand sanitiser pumps dotted about too although I'd taken my own anyway.

I checked in with a very nice lady who was wearing a mask and behind a big clear plastic screen, she asked me my name, D.o.B. and my address then told me to take a seat in the waiting area and I would be called soon.

The waiting area was large and the seats were spaced well apart and there was only one other person waiting (also masked) and I sat several seats away from her.

I was called within a few minutes and went through to another very large area which was sectioned into separate booths along one side where I sat, they again checked my name, D.o.B and went through the info etc and confirmed that I was happy to go ahead and then they directed me over to another booth at the other side of the room where I got the vaccination and that was me done, I just had to follow the one way system back outside to freedom!

Oh, and they asked if I was driving and because I wasn't I got to leave straight away, I believe it's a 15 minute wait otherwise.

@polelynn

I told the first volunteer outside that I might faint.

They allowed my husband to do all the queuing for me and he called me when I had to talk to the lady with the consent form.

She then took me to a separate area and the vaccinator approached me to say he’d be with me soon.

He then called me to a more enclosed area and got the vaccine there.

I told him that I wanted to leave ASAP.

They allowed me to go straight away because my husband with me.

Everyone was very supportive and they seemed to have a plan for people like us.

Good luck.

I'd go with the earliest slot tou can get as well. I had mine at the go hub and it was very well organised indeed. A short, socially distanced queue outside. Only allowed us in one at a time. Once inside, the desk lady found my papers, I had to sign it and show it to a doctor. I then stood in a 'line' to see a vaccinator (although I call it a line, it was actually just me). First available vaccinator called me over and did the deed. Throughout there was hand sanitizer available, I was squirted on arrival and before going to vaccinator. Seats were distanced and were being cleaned between each user. Each patient was only called to the next step of the process once that station was free. Very, very well organised. Hope other hubs are as efficent.

I've been today, 1.30 pm big hub, didn't see any people in there apart from workers and volunteers who were very professional, friendly and kept their distance. Was super clean and organised, probably in there 10 mins max.
They had a video on website for virtual tour.
Maybe quieter mid afternoon, early appointments might be busy with people on way to work?
You'll be so proud of yourself once you've done it and you will be protected too, good luck

Yes I thought mid morning/mid afternoon might be better for my age group due to people getting it done before work, though I'm guessing they'll be people from other groups having their second jabs too. The replies have really helped me understand what to expect.

They only book in as many as capacity for each time slot. Going early morning (so there are few coming out and less wait) seems sensible.

Hello 😊 it only takes a few minutes. I felt nothing and was allowed to go straight after as not driving.

I agree with pp that viewing a video of your vaccination centre would be helpful, if you can find one. The vaccination centre I used had a virtual tour video.

The vaccination centre I used had all the queuing outside, plus spaced out seating outside for anyone needing to sit and wait for a while after having the vaccination.

So I was only inside for the vaccination bit itself

My name was checked off the appointments list before allowing me inside the site.

Once inside at the vaccination station - there were several of these spaced out in the same room - the vaccinators checked my details, asked some medical questions (about allergies etc), told me about common side effects, then vaccinated me.

It all seemed to be running very smoothly. Not much queuing, as they limit the amount of people booked into each time slot.
Really the bit that concerned me most about which time slot I got was the getting there, a time slot that clashes with something like rush hour, could cause unpredictable delays getting to the vaccination centre.

I went to a vaccination centre. It was so well organised, I walked through the door, a woman was at the front with a bottle of sanitizer and she squirted it into my hands. I then went into the main hall to some people with iPads, gave my name and they booked me in. Then I went to another desk with one person who just checked a few things like my address etc. Then I sat in a ‘waiting area’ socially distanced and quiet to be fair, there were only about 2 others waiting, for about 10 seconds before a vaccination bay (all separated by curtains) became free and a volunteer sent me to the bay. As soon as I got up she sprayed and wiped the seat down. There were 2 nurses, one next to a trolley and one with a computer. They were so nice, just checked they had all my details correct and I have no allergies etc then I got the jab! So quick and easy. As I left there were seats for drivers to sit in for 10 minutes but as I had a lift the woman looking after that area said I could just leave if I was feeling OK.
I genuinely wasn’t in the place for any more than 5 minutes. My DH and DC were in the car and were so surprised to see me come back so quickly
It was such a positive experience, I wasn’t close to anyone apart from the lady doing the jab and she had full PPE and was near my arm for approx 5 seconds, that was it.
I felt tired for a few days and a bit shaky on night 1, sore arm for a few days but that was it.
Sorry this is so long! But honestly it was so well organised, so well staffed and even though I went on a Saturday afternoon it wasn’t busy at all. Go for it OP! Get that vaccine.

Very well organised; in and out in 15 minutes for Pfizer and 5 minutes for AZ (DH and I had different ones).

I went to small hub run by a pharmacy. They had set up in a small community hall. The queuing, such as it was, (just waiting for the person in front to move through - not more than 1 or 2 minutes) was outside. Then I showed the person on the door the booking text on my phone (if you enlarge it they will be able to read it at a comfortable distance). I was asked if I had anything I wanted to ask about. (Still outside but under the porch.)

When a space was free I went in. There were three chairs, all by the open door. Each wiped after each person. I was given a wiped clipboard with a short sheet of questions and consent form to sign. (The pen was wiped but I had my own.) I was given an information sheet.

Then, with no delay, I went to sit by a masked pharmacist, who checked my details and gave me the jab (which I didn't feel).

The double doors behind, through which I had to leave, were open. So, although there was a slight kink, I was in a sort of wind tunnel, with the air flowing through the hall. It felt very airy and there were only 3 vaccinees, 3 vaccinators and 3 helpers maximum in the main part of the hall at any one time. Everyone wore a mask. I was in and out in under 5 minutes.

When I booked, the day before, there were several appointments available. So I could choose one with spaces on either side. The place was a little out of the way, so I think it was less popular than the one in a better-known venue. When you go to book, if you are offered one in a place you've never heard of, it might be worth going for that!

Something that might help too is that even if there are quite a few people around (there aren't always, my friend was in a big room alone with a nurse in PPE, mine was a bit busier), many of the people both giving and getting vaccines now have already had their first dose, and the evidence is showing that this makes them far less likely to have both caught it and to transmit it. If you do get nervous you can go. One woman ahead of me at my appointment was very scared, and they were extremely patient, she was able to go and stand separately, they offered to rebook another time and put no pressure on her at all.

Best of luck.

You have to time the 15 minutes afterwards yourself. I sat there for about half an hour before someone said anything. I'm daft though, and was enjoying the time to myself.

I had mine at a bigger hub and I was in and out in 5mins (told to sit in my car for 15mins before driving - I had the AZ) literally didn’t stop moving other than sitting in my (wiped down) chair for the jab! I would think the later you go the quieter it would be - but that’s just a guess.

Thank you. I spoke to the CCG this morning after they put out a Facebook post about offering quieter sessions at a localish hub to me. They are planning these in my area too or possibly even outdoor appointments and someone from the local team is going to call me back to talk through options.

That's good you are talking
As a volunteer my advice would be a last in the day appointment not first as often queues before they open
And tell the volunteers as soon as you arrive. They will do what they can. We've had nervous elderly, CEV , needle phobic etc.
Good luck. May be I will see you

Mine was done at a local centre,
It was so well managed i have a needle thing did not have to wait everyone is so friendly she did my jab as she was pointing out the exit hardly noticed. I had spent a whole day worrying not eating at all nearly backing out so many times. I was literally in the centre for three minutes. One thing that helped is that i had printed out my booking number which saved me nervously getting it up on my phone.
You will be fine